How to pack like the pros

Updated 4:19 pm, Friday, November 1, 2013

Five high-mileage, high-profile travelers share their best tips for packing better.

Five high-mileage, high-profile travelers share their best tips for packing better.

Photo: Julia Nichols, E+ Via Getty Images

How to pack like the pros

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Does traveling more make you pack less? Not necessarily, although we talked to five high-mileage, high-profile travelers (whose combined annual airline points could buy a private island in the Caribbean) to get their take on carry-on and carrying less.

Pauline Frommer

Publisher of Frommers.com and co-president of Frommer Media, which publishes Frommer guidebooks.

Why is it important to you to go with just carry-on? The last time I willingly checked a bag, I was heading to a wedding in which I was a bridesmaid. Of course, the bag wasn't on the carousel when I got off the plane. Not wanting to freak out the bride-to-be, I didn't tell her about the missing dress and was sick with worry until it finally showed up, a day before the wedding. Today, I only own carry-ons.

What's the most surprising item in your carry-on? Extra sweaters. I get cold wherever I go, even in tropical destinations.

Your best tip? Make lists and follow them. Only own carry-on bags, so you have no choice but to be strategic in your packing.

Chip Conley

Founder of Fest300.com and founder of Joie de Vivre Hotels.

Why is it important to you to go with just carry-on? I'm impatient and like to hit the road as soon as I land. I've lost a few bags due to airline negligence. I like to be able to access things in my toiletries bag on a long flight and that's in my carry-on.

Describe your packing style: Frenzied. I'm not a planner. I wait till the night before and then hope that anything that's at the dry cleaners that I need is accessible. I realize that I will likely pack 1 1/2 times as much as I need, so I lay everything out on my bed first before putting it in the bag.

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(a.k.a. Johnny Jet) Founder of the travel infor-mation site JohnnyJet.com.

Why is it important to you to go with just carry-on? It takes a lot of aggravation out of travel. You don't have to show up to the airport early or wait ages for your bag to come out at baggage claim - if it even makes it. Your travel plans can be much more flexible when you don't check bags, you save checked baggage fees, and it's easier to get around on public transportation, which can save you a small bundle.

What's your go-to bag? I prefer a rolling briefcase (I use Briggs and Riley) for my electronics and cameras, and a leather tote bag from Roots for my clothes.

What's the most surprising item in your carry-on? A travel journal where I log every one of my flights and trips.

Daisann McLane

Author, online columnist and contributing editor for National Geographic Traveler.

Why is it important to you to go with just carry-on? The truth is that not all trips work best with

carry-on only, particularly when you're covering a couple of different climates, or doing a city trip followed by hiking. Plus, I really hate participating in the ugly land grab for overhead bin space that happens on U.S. airlines - it's not only stressful, you can get injured, and I have. Sometimes carry on is the way to go, especially if you know you're going to be moving hotels a lot.

What's the most surprising item in your carry-on? The sachets of Japanese powdered charcoal that I buy in this incredible Hong Kong housewares chain store called Japan Home Center - they keep your luggage from getting moldy or smelly, and they really work.

Your best tip? Shoe control. It is the heaviest thing in your bag so if you can wear one pair and pack just one pair more you'll be way ahead of the game. What I won't sacrifice in the name of lightness: style

Why is it important to you to go with just carry-on? Traveling with just a carry-on is good practice. It saves you the expense and hassle of having to check a bag, and - since carry-ons tend to be small - it means there will be less to drag around on your journey. ... When you travel, the focus should be on what lies in front of you, not in what you drag behind you.

Describe your packing style: Naturalist John Muir used to say that the best way to prepare for a trip was to "throw some tea and bread into an old sack and jump over the back fence." I'm not quite that minimalist, but I tend not to over-think the packing process.

Your best tip: Get a very small bag. I'm also a fan of a well-designed travel jacket or vest (like the ScotteVest I took around the world in 2010) that allows you to carry some key essential items in your pockets.